This simplified version of Daniel Humm’s whimsical appetizer at NYC’s Eleven Madison Park has store-bought smoked sturgeon, hackleback caviar and rye crackers. Slideshow: More Chef Recipes Made Easy
How to Make It
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a pie plate, toss the bagel dice with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Toast for about 10 minutes, until golden; let cool.
In a small saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the quail eggs for 2 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool. Peel the eggs and halve them lengthwise.
Using a ceramic or plastic spoon, scrape the caviar into a small bowl; wipe the jar clean. Spread the cream cheese into the empty caviar jar. Spread the caviar over the cream cheese in an even layer to cover it completely.
In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce and dressing and season with salt. Arrange the smoked sturgeon on 4 plates. Mound the salad alongside the fish. Arrange the sliced onions and quail eggs on the salad and sprinkle the bagel crumbs on top. Serve with the caviar cream cheese, rye crisps and pickles.